You Found Me
by melificent811
Summary: Inspired by The Fray's song "You Found Me". Jane's inner turmoil over her feelings about Maura. Picks up at the tail end of 3.15. Eventual Rizzles (I just couldn't stay away!). Now a trilogy. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**"You Found Me"**

**Description:** Jane's inner turmoil over her feelings about Maura. Picks up at the tail end of 3.15. One shot. Rated T for language.

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**A/N: **Inspired by The Fray's song _You Found Me_. This song popped into my spotify and it instantly fueled my creative fire. The music itself is uplifting but the lyrics are surprisingly haunting…. Quite the bittersweet song.

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_(Jane's POV)_

_"I'll be okay… Or I won't. It's my choice."_

My face fell. I watched utterly rejected as the wounded soldier turned, leaned on his crutches, and hobbled away from the disaster zone – using every bit of his manhood to keep his head held high. My heart swelled with sadness and disappointment at the sudden yet utterly expected loss. I was angry about the loss of the idea of what could have been. I was ashamed that I couldn't strap on big enough balls to admit that although I had true feelings for Casey, deep down I knew (and I'm sure Casey knew) that my heart was never 100% in the game.

I should have known that the instant I left his apartment saying '_I can't wait for you'_. Funny how Freudian slips can happen that way... Casey made it clear that he made his choice… perhaps it was time for me to realize that I had made mine.

I jumped suddenly, the warmth of a familiar hand gently brushing against my right shoulder. My lips softened forming a light smile, finally admitting to myself that just the sight of her always manages to brighten my day. I can't help but lean into her as her hand travels from my shoulder downward until it's resting lightly at the small of my back. So comforting… so inviting.

"You okay?"

"Yeah… Just another day at the office, Huh?" Our eyes latched - our unspoken language. Simple glances that prove that I sincerely meant what I had just said. Despite the crumbling building. Despite my injured partner and brother. Despite what Maura had just observed between Casey and I. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." She responded with that beautiful smile. I inwardly melted as she playfully bumped her body into mine, a silent confirmation of words that neither of us had been willing to say. She turned with me and watched as Casey finally disappeared behind a fire truck. Her fingertips moved downward and brushed against my hand. I couldn't help but intertwine my own with hers. My island of comfort in today's sea of chaos.

"Movie and take out tonight?" Maura asked as she lightly squeezed my hand, breaking the silence of our shared moment.

"Only if you're buying."

I smiled as released my hand from hers, my hand travelling to brush against the soft fabric on her small of her back. She returned the smile and nodded acknowledging our Friday night routine before she turned to walk away.

Comfort always stems from a certain sense of familiarity…

My eyes followed as she walked back into the chaos that is the disaster zone. Her hips sway in the same fashion they do when she's wearing a pair of those ungodly expensive designer heels. Yet she's wearing nothing but cement and blood stained scrubs and a pair of sneakers that I know she keeps in her trunk for "emergencies only". She's never looked so beautiful…

I stood and watched until she disappeared into a sea of light blue scrubs, fire fighters, and injured patients. I knew it was going to be hours until she was ready to leave the scene but I was more than ready to hop into my squad car and leave this place - the broken moments - far behind. Finally, I turned and headed for my car, deciding to drive back to the precinct to gather a few items before immediately heading home to wash off the filth of the day.

Sitting behind the steering wheel, I sighed… relinquishing myself to the fact that all I wanted to do is to immediately go home and settle into the comfort of her arms. After days like these (and believe me, there's been WAY too many of "days like these" lately…) It's the only place I feel safe enough to put badass Jane aside. The only place in this world I've allowed myself to acknowledge my insecurities and let my guard down. The only place I can feel true warmth and light in the world.

I love her… yes, I know that I love her. I know that my heart skips a beat every time I feel her presence nearby. My fingers and toes go numb. My heart swells with pride knowing that the beautiful honey blonde bombshell of woman I share most of my waking (and sometimes non-waking) hours with belongs to me.

The problem is she doesn't… Not really anyway.

I want to tell her. Every day I pray to god that I gather the courage to finally express the emotions I have squandered inside for entirely too long. I want to tell her that no man (not even Casey) could ever offer me everything that she has already freely and willingly given. No one could ever love me the way that I know she always will.

It's too much, too risky… too soon. Too early to divulge my inner emotions and let her know how I truly feel inside. For now, this will have to do. The stolen glances. The brushes of the fingertips against bare skin when we convince ourselves that no one else is looking. The false sense of security that our friendship offers. The knowledge that she will ALWAYS be there because she is and always will be my best friend… possibly never anything more.

Because in the end no matter how far I go, how deep in the shit I get, she will ALWAYS find me… hold me, comfort me, love me…

The fact of the matter is I can't wait for Casey. But I can and WILL wait until eternity for Maura.

So for now, this will have to be enough…

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**A/N: ** That was a fun one to write. I love getting into other character's heads. Needed something to get me back into this world as I've been writing "personal essays" for my grad school apps. Hoping to update **"Music From the Heart"** soon. THANKS FOR READING!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **THANK YOU everyone for the view/favs/comments. I was toying with idea of doing Maura's POV and a single review pushed me over the fence. Hope this does Maura justice… enjoy!

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_(Maura's POV)_

_"Would it be alright with you if…"_

Against every cell in my body, I nodded and leaned in allowing her to take me in her arms. How ironic that my biological mother's name is Hope… The few interactions I've shared with her and Kaylen had erased any _hope_ I had in fulfilling my childhood dream of meeting and being able to gracefully connect with the woman who gave birth to me.

_"I will never be able to thank you…"_

I let myself fall into her embrace, allowing myself for one split second to let down my walls and allow the woman who gave birth to me to love me. As amazing as it felt, it couldn't compare to the years of maternal love I've felt from Angela… Nothing could compare to the off-the-cuff boisterous Italian family who had taken me in and accepted me like I was blood. With Hope it was genetics, with the Rizzoli's it was truly about family.

We parted, eyes barely able to make contact. I could feel the discomfort settle like a brick wall between us once again. I lightly smiled and nodded, turning and walking away before the situation could become more awkward.

Within a few steps I stopped and watched as Tommy was hoisted into the ambulance, Angela cradling and trying to comfort poor little TJ. My eyes drifted to see Jane as she turned away from scene, my breath hitched when she noticed the veteran in uniform leaning against his crutches. Even from over 50 feet away, I could tell he was using every ounce of his strength to remain upright. Still trying to keep appearances up around Jane…

I stood, watching the exchange. My heart dropped realizing that either way the cards fell, my best friend would be hurt. If he let her back in, she was in for the possibility of a lifetime caring for an invalid. Knowing how stubborn she is, as hurt and annoyed and disappointed she would be with the situation, she would stay steadfast and strong. Protective and loyal almost to a fault... And if he left Jane, she would undoubtedly be shattered. Too proud to admit she needed help to pick up the pieces.

Yet I knew I was going to be there for her regardless of the outcome…

How could I not? How could I not be there for the one person in this world who understands me, knows me, loves me for exactly who I am? All my imperfections, my social quirks, my inability to quell my "google mouth"… everything that makes me different than practically everyone else on this planet.

And I love her for that…

I sighed. This was not the first time I had admitted this to myself and realized I meant more than the platonic love that is shared between two friends. I DO love her… more so than I'm willing to admit to even myself. I love her loyalty, her passion, her deep-seated need to protect the ones she loves. I love the compassion she shows towards others - though she tries so valiantly to hide it behind her tough exterior. I love every piece, the good and not so good, that create the insanely brave detective I'm honored to spend many hours of my day with.

Breaking my chain of thought I decided to walk forward, the need to comfort my best friend trumping any of the questionable feelings bubbling up inside of me. I saw her posture crumbling, trying so valiantly to hold the emotions of the day at bay. How I just want to take her into my arms and tell her that despite the challenging events of the day, everything was going to be okay. Subconsciously, my left hand rose, gently brushing against the soft cotton covering her shoulder. Any physical contact would inevitably be better than none.

"You okay?" I inquire gently, realizing how frail she may be in this very moment. Knowing that my touch may just be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

"Yeah… Just another day at the office, huh?" I watched as her face fell for a millisecond. Observed quietly as she mustered up the strength to smile, shove the hurt inside of a box, and throw away the key. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" I sighed as our eyes connected. A silent language learned over years of friendship.

I leaned ever so slightly into her, my body subconsciously seizing the opportunity to graze itself against hers. Even through the stress of the day, the contact is positively electrifying. I allow my hand to travel down, lightly brushing against her cement caked arm before grazing against long fingertips.

My breath slightly hitched the instant I felt her fingers unexpectedly intertwine with mine. We stood there quietly holding hands as we watched Casey walk away. I think we both realized that this was the end yet the beginning, an opportunity to leave the past behind and move forward into a brighter future. I squeezed her hand in assurance… Despite the near catastrophic events of the day, I knew that we would both be okay.

"Movie and take out tonight?" The invitation slipped out of my mouth before I fully registered what I was saying. I guess I was eager to end our day at the disaster site and relax in our usual Friday night manner. Old habits die hard I suppose…

"Only if you're buying…"

Jane turned to face me, her lips slightly upturned in a mischievous smirk. She release my hand, her fingers trailing a path past my hip and around to the small of my back. Every touch leaving goose bumps in their wake.

I smiled and nodded, unable to will any words to form. My flight or flight response kicked in and all I wanted to do was walk away from the situation before I did something I couldn't take back. As much as I wanted to articulate all the feelings that had been boiling inside of me, I knew this wasn't the time or the place.

It was just too soon. Too soon in the wake of disaster, of heart break, of fear… Too soon to allow the true depths of my feelings to show. So I run. I do a quick about face and force myself to disappear into the chaos of the scene. I allow myself to get immersed by the stress and the trauma as a means of distraction - a method to my madness.

It just gets too hard. It's hard when all I want to do is wrap my arms around her and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist. It's hard when I'm just not sure if she feels the same way. It's hard when Casey, or any man for that matter, appears and whisks her away. It's too hard when you're petrified about losing the best friend you've ever had.

Yet she always comes back. And in the end, I know deep inside my gut (and I know she would scoff if she ever heard me refer to my 'gut') that she would find me. She would always be there to comfort me, protect me, love me… As my best friend, my LLBFF…

So for now, that will have to be enough…

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**A/N:** So I decided to make this one a trilogy. The last chapter will tie both POVs together into what I hope will be a nice bow. THANKS FOR READING!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay in updates! Life has been keeping me ridiculously busy. Hopefully this last chapter doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Decided to write this one in the third person. Enjoy!

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Freshly showered, hair still damp from nearly and hour spent in the hot steam, Maura walked downstairs to choose a bottle of wine for the evening's festivities. It had been quite the trying day for both her and Jane so she figured it was the perfect occasion to break out the 'good stuff'. Perhaps her best friend could be convinced the set aside her favorite beer for just one night…

Maura's head turned, the sound of her front door clicking and opening to reveal a tall brunette carrying a large takeout bag.

"I thought I was supposed to buy…" The blonde met her friend with a smile. Although she was perfectly willing to provide food for the evening, she knew that Jane needed her greasy chow mein noodles from her favorite Chinese takeout after a stressful day like today. Both she and Jane knew that she would be utterly unwilling to purchase anything so ungodly unhealthy.

"Yeah, well you I KNEW you would refuse to get what I wanted so I just got enough for myself. You're on your own, hun."

Jane placed the large paper bag on the counter top, unpacking its contents. Several large white take out containers were placed on the counter before the last and tiniest was pushed in front of the blonde across from her.

"Braised tofu, extra bok choi, light on the sauce. Hold the salt, msg, and anything else remotely unhealthy and might I say utterly delicious…" The taller woman grinned, knowing that she had literally just made Maura's night.

"Oh, you shouldn't have!" Maura feigned shock and smiled, reaching for the wooden chopsticks left in the bag. She opened the top of the container and reached in, grabbing a small piece and gracefully placing it in her mouth. "Made perfectly to my specifications… Thank you, Jane."

"I figured we both needed some comfort food after today. Although I would hardly call steamed vegetables and cubes of soy bean mush 'comforting'."

"Unlike the mountain of carbohydrates you're about to consume, my body is craving AND requiring the vitamins and minerals that the steamed bok choi offers. The tofu will give me enough protein to replenish what I used running around all day. So yes, I would call this 'comfort' food."

"Okay… enough of the google-mouth and just enjoy your food." Jane smirked, grabbing her box of noodles and proceeding to plop herself on her side of the couch. "So what are we watching tonight?"

Maura gathered her food, the wine, and two empty glasses balancing them carefully as she made her way to her side of the couch.

"Considering the events of the day, I figured we would rule out anything with mass trauma or collapsing buildings."

"Good idea…" The brunette responded, mouth already full of noodles.

"Jesus Jane… You know you have to breathe at some point." Maura shook her head as she settled in next to Jane, delicately picking at pieces of her food.

"No time…" Jane responded through another mouthful. "This is my first real meal of the day. I'm STARVING!"

"Even more reason for you to have some of my vegetables. Here…" The blonde grabbed a piece of her bok choi and attempted to plop it into Jane's cardboard box. "At least have this one piece."

"You're going to contaminate my food!"

Jane playfully swatted at Maura's arm to no avail. Maura was quick on the draw, evading Jane's reach and triumphantly placing the tiny piece of vegetable in the brunette's open mouth.

"Now chew." The honey blonde smirked triumphantly as the woman next to her chewed and swallowed. "That wasn't so bad was it?"

"I guess…"

Maura giggled, so few times had she been successful in "force feeding" healthy food to her best friend. She'll take very little triumph she could get.

"So… what movie were you thinking about?" Jane took a break from inhaling her noodles to pour herself and Maura glasses of wine. "Geez Maura. Breaking out the good stuff tonight?"

"I figured why not." Maura took the filled glass and inhaled its aroma before taking a sip and savoring the rich complexity of the velvety liquid. Indeed, today was an occasion for the good stuff. "I have The King's Speech in my DVR."

"What else do you have?" Jane took a sip of wine and shook her head, not particularly looking forward to spending an evening watching anything remotely cerebral.

"Well, Angela recorded Bridesmaids…"

"Winner!..." The taller woman swiped the remote out of the other woman's hand and pressed buttons navigating her way through menus until she could play the movie.

"I suppose I could settle for some light comedy…"

"You'll like it Maur…"

The pair settled in as the opening credits ran across the screen. Through the first hour, they shared a few good laughs. Food was consumed and the bottle of wine was quickly emptied. It was a nice change to the events of the day. However, what had started as a lighthearted evening slowly began to wind down as exhaustion, both mental and physical, began to settle into the pair.

Maura leaned into Jane, resting her head on the brunette's shoulder. "Are you watching the movie?"

"No…. are you?"

"No…"

Jane reached for the remote, stopping the recording and turning off the television. A pregnant silence filled the room as the pair sat on the couch enjoying the contact and warmth of each other's bodies.

"You followed me into a crumbling building…" The brunette broke the silence, her not-so-silent thoughts resonating throughout the room.

"Yes… I did."

"You could've been hurt…"

"But I wasn't…" Maura sat up, turning to face the brunette next to her. Eyes filled with concern and compassion. "I could say the same for you."

"Frost… Tommy… TJ… I could've lost them all today." Jane sighed, eyes glued towards toward the coffee table in front of her. "I could've lost you…"

Gently, Maura leaned forward. Her palm reached for Jane's cheek, slowly turning and pulling her in so their eyes could finally connect. Jane succumbed… there were few things in life she couldn't resist – Maura's touch being near the top of the list.

"Jane," Maura paused for a second, waiting for silent confirmation that she had the brunette's attention. "You're never going to loose me."

"Promise?" Her voice was but a silent whisper, all the fear and reservations about the feelings dwelling deep inside of her percolating to the surface. Jane bit her lip, anxiously awaiting the answer to every unspoken question she had been tucking away inside.

Maura slowly leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to her best friend's. So sweet, so simple, so… right. It was the only answer she could ever dream to respond to that question with.

Jane lightly gasped, taken by surprise but unwilling to pull away. He best friend's lips were so soft and inviting. So… right. She let her eyes drift shut, basking in the sheer simplicity of this moment in time.

Seconds passed and the pair reluctantly parted… lips barely separating, foreheads resting on each other, sweet warm breath intermingling. A feeling of contentment settling between the two… realizing that despite everything – the crumbling building, the biological mother, the wounded soldier - they had finally found each other.

"I love you, Jane…" Maura's voice barely a whisper, her nerves beginning to settle in again. She had breached the point of no return and was willing to fully accept any and all of the consequences.

Jane's heart warmed at her best friend's admission. The brunette reached up to brush the pad of her thumb across Maura's cheek, capturing the light wetness that had trickled from the honey blonde's eyes. She smiled, realizing why she and Maura had been so hesitant to say what had been on their minds and in their hearts for so long. Because three single syllable words strung together have never meant so much.

"I love you, Maura…"

-fin

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**A/N:** Well... that's all folks! (runs & hides...). Hope you all enjoyed it. I truly have no plans on expanding on this trilogy unless inspiration hits me like an anvil from the sky. I have other ideas brewing and still have to work on Music From The Heart.

THANKS FOR READING and I hope you all enjoyed it!


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